Fic Title: Pulling Him Up
Chapter Title: Shadows, Dust, Memories (28 of ?)
Author: Firesword
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and its characters belong to JK Rowling and so on. I just own the little bits of plot.
Rating: M (For Fluffiness, not so much on offensive language, and definitely for the bits of intimacy.)
Ff Author's Notes : 17.07.09. 11.26 AM. Still on-leave, still have the weekend. I'm writing again! I'm hoping I'll be able to make this into a routine after I get back to work.
Warnings: HP/DM/SS. Slash. OOC. A reminder to readers that this fic had started off before the release of Book 6, so it's post-OotP, and because I didn't have the heart to finish Book 7, most of this fic is ... fiction. Fluff without plot?
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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: SHADOWS, DUST, MEMORIES
oOooOo
Severus felt oddly calm as he stepped out of the carriage after Harry and Draco. The younger men stood before the porch of his house and he saw their heads turning this way and that to give the house a once-over. Then a gentle but dark presence behind him made him look over his shoulder. Ravial had a peculiar smile on his face as he fell in beside Severus.
"I guess I wouldn't mind having a partner like Potter," Ravial murmured and instantly, dark obsidian eyes narrowed dangerously.
"His aura is all wrong though. I'm not that young to be able to keep up with his nature." Ravial smirked. "Good luck handling him." He pushed his long fringe back and then his crimson eyes, widened as he remembered something. "I have sealed off all but the living room, kitchen and washroom. Those are the only places that are safe, for now."
"You did not go down to the basement?" Severus asked.
"No, I followed your instructions and warnings," Ravial said with a slight shrug. "Well, I think it's time you welcome your lovers into your home. I'll bring in your things."
"Can you manage without our help?" Severus asked in a cynical tone.
"Severus, I am a vampire and not some useless Squib," Ravial retorted hotly. "If it weren't for us, did you think you could have handled the Dementors, wayward werewolves and Dark Creatures on your own?"
"Enough, I apologize. I was trying to be polite," Severus said contritely.
"If you are trying to be polite, sound like it next time." Ravial gave him a disgusted look. "I'll bring in your things."
Severus shook his head and moved closer to his lovers. "I expect that there are some things that have taken residence while I was away," he said to them. Then, as he had earlier in the evening, he took the lead.
The floorboards of his porch creaked under his weight, and they groaned noisily when Draco and Harry stepped up. As though called forth by Severus' presence, the torches flanking either side of the door lit up. Fire danced wildly before settling down to a steady glow. Then at Severus' touch, the door unlocked and swung wide to allow them in. He entered first and the hallway was illuminated by small candles along the walls. Motioning to his lovers, he walked the few steps to the entryway of the living room. Just beside the archway stood a small shelf and several pairs of Severus' old boots were stored there.
"It is unwise to start cleaning or exploring the house," he said to them with a slight smile, aware of Harry's slightly guilty look. Then he bent over to remove his shoes. Draco and Harry followed his example and then they stored away their footwear on that shelf with many of Severus' old pairs.
"I suppose we should wash up first and get some rest," Draco said, his eyes drifting over to watch Harry. "If I remember correctly, there's a bathroom beside the kitchen, right, Severus?"
Severus nodded.
"Come, Harry. I'll show you Severus' nifty toilet."
Harry looked excited while Severus simply rolled his eyes. He stood in the hallway for sometime and watched them disappearing into the corner. Then his eyes fell on the row of boots. Their shoes alongside mine. Somehow, the very idea of it made him feel warm and delighted. Then he shook his head, and went into the living room.
The few pieces of furniture he had in that room had been rearranged close to the wall. The floor had been swept and scrubbed well, and Severus mentally made a note to thank the vampire appropriately. Also, three futons had been pre-arranged on the floor, for them to rest for the night. He snorted to himself, somewhat amused upon imagining Draco's expression if he were to see their sleeping arrangement.
A sturdy perch had been set up next to the window, and coincidentally, Hedwig flew in, and sedately landed to her new perch. She looked critically at the small bowls filled with water and bits of meat, before helping herself to the available food and water. Severus turned his attention back to the futons, and waved his hand over two of those, before setting them down closer to the remaining one. Just then Ravial entered, manually carrying their belongings.
"I'll leave the trunks and the 'guitar case' here," Ravial said cheerfully.
"Thank you."
"Are you certain they won't mind, Severus?" Ravial asked with quite the roguish smile. He was eying the bed when he suddenly gave a sheepish sort of chuckle. "All right, all right. I'll stop teasing. I'm leaving now, but I'll be back tomorrow evening to help out." Ravial waved goodbye and left, singing.
The voices of Harry and Draco reached his ears and then they appeared, their faces glowing and damp. The refreshing scent of lime was quite distinctive in the air that it had made Severus impatient to wash up as well.
"We will rest now," Severus said gently. "Go change into something comfortable and get some sleep."
"All right, but we're waiting up for you," Draco said with a bright smile, coming forward to give him a quick kiss on the lips.
Feeling quite bemused, Severus extended his hand and mussed up Harry's damp hair on the way to the bathroom.
"Hey!" Harry exclaimed in surprise.
When Severus returned to the living room, refreshed after the short bath, one of them had managed to extract one of his sleeping robes from his trunk and a clean towel. Draco was clad in a gray sleeping robe while Harry was wearing a pair of pants that looked quite comfortable and a collarless T-shirt.
Without further delay, Severus quickly changed, felt the blood rush up to his face when he noticed that they were staring. He stepped forward and sat down on one side of their 'bed'.
"It's comfortable, Severus," Draco said approvingly.
They lay down, and Severus quirked a smile at Harry's sigh of contentment.
"I feel so tired," Harry muttered. He sounded as though he was grateful at the opportunity to lie down.
"Harry, kiss me first," Draco said commandingly, poking Harry lightly on the side. "You too, Severus," the blond-haired wizard said, drowning Harry's indignant yelp.
"Draco." Severus looked reproachfully at him, but Draco merely looked unrepentant. With a tender caress, Severus brought his face closer and kissed him languorously, before leaning over and molded his lips to Harry's.
"Goodnight, Severus," Harry murmured. "Goodnight, Draco," he said after kissing the expectant Malfoy.
"Goodnight. I love you both," Draco whispered happily, and then he closed his eyes.
At Severus' bidding, the candles illuminating the living room went out, one by one. He remained awake for sometime, listening to the gentle breathing of the two younger men beside him. Pale moonlight shone through the window, creating a soft glow around Hedwig as she looked out the window Then, the urge to check his house kicked in, and he got up quietly. Severus paused and looked down at Harry and Draco. Both did not stir. Severus slowly walked around his house, activating ancient charms that had always been used to protect it and the human residents in it.
He was about to enter through the back-door when he heard the hiss and the faint smell of methane. He whirled around quickly and released a spell that hit the floating creature hard. It wailed sharply before fleeing off into the woods. The creature – although blood-sucking and energy-draining – was relatively harmless. Thrown the right hex, it would not come anywhere near the area for several decades.
Harry was awake when he finally returned to their side. "What was that?" he asked quietly.
"A cousin to the Lethifold, but quite harmless," Severus answered just as softly. "Go back to sleep."
"Only if you do the same."
"I will." Severus relaxed into the comfortable futon. Turning his head slightly, he allowed his eyes to roam over Draco's sleeping face. The perfectness of his cheek beckoned strongly and he touched it gently with the tip of his fingers. Then, instinctively, he reached over. Harry pressed his cheek into Severus' palm. The sudden desire to kiss Harry almost overwhelmed him, if not for the dry voice talking in his mind.
"Save that for later, you idiot. It's going to be a long day tomorrow, filled with pests and dust."
He realized that his arm was tiring after a while and that Harry had fallen asleep. Severus cracked a smile – he seemed to be able to do that nowadays without sarcasm tainting the edges of it. To sleep … I need to get up early … make breakfast. Have to clear the hallways of curses – that is first priority, after breakfast. Then the bedroom. He drifted into sleep and dreamt of what should be done. He only awakened when he heard Hedwig sneeze.
Sunlight had already filled the room. He sat up and took a good look around, then winced when he finally noticed the state of his walls. The wallpaper has to come off, he decided. He glanced at the ancient grandfather clock and swore under his breath – Ravial had not rewound it.
Movements on his left made him turn – Harry was stretching languidly, and he had exposed his midriff quite by accident. While Severus tried his best to curb not-so-innocent thoughts, Harry sat up, his hand fumbling around for his glasses. He wore it and started looking for something else.
"'Morning, Severus," Harry greeted sleepily. Then he paused, his expression turning gentle as he looked at Draco. "Should I wake him, Severus?"
The older man shook his head. "Let him sleep a bit more," Severus said belatedly after he realized that Harry was speaking to him. He asked for the time when Harry found his wristwatch.
"It's nearly seven-thirty."
Severus got up slowly and Harry followed suit. "I will ready some breakfast." Then he chuckled at Harry's somewhat dubious, and suspicious expression. "Brush your teeth but do not explore the house just yet." Harry smiled sheepishly and followed Severus to the washroom. He washed up quickly, but then found that there weren't any towels. "Harry, where..." Severus was alone in the bathroom. He was still staring at the doorway when Harry appeared with some towels in hand, toothbrush jammed between his lips.
"...raco toosh em awt t air."
Severus raised his eyebrow as he removed the towels from Harry's hand. "Do not talk – brush your teeth, foolish Gryffindor." He managed to keep his face straight although on the inside, he chuckled at Harry's antic.
Crimson tinged Harry's cheeks and Severus smirked. He wiped his face and hands, then hung the towel on a bar. He watched the younger dark-haired man thoughtfully and waited for the right moment. He made a motion to leave, but then grasped Harry's face with both hands, and kissed him. Severus chuckled at the pair of shocked, emerald eyes and proceeded to the kitchen.
Hand motioning at the blinds and windowpanes, Severus checked through his cupboards for suitable pots, pans, plates, saucers, cups and other items. The kitchen brightened considerably, tinting the walls with soft, golden glow. It feels different. He stopped and looked around suddenly.
"Of course, it is different. You are not alone, you know," his inner voice said sarcastically.
How many years had he spent his time alone in his house? In an almost subconscious manner, his hands reached for the bin of flour, some eggs (he suspected Ravial had helped him obtain those), baking soda, salt and a whisk. Severus never had many visitors and it was rare for him to accommodate to anyone. Except for Draco, who would stay a night or two during the holidays.
I will not be cooking for myself this time. For the second time in the morning, he felt that strange sensation in his heart.
Something wrinkled and yellow on the counter top caught his attention. He stopped what he was doing for a moment to pick it up.
Sorry if you're not pleased with the state of your pantry. I'll be coming back to re-stock, and then I'll help you with setting the house a-right. That's if you want my help.
Ravial.
Severus' lips twitched. He crammed the note into his pocket and continued his preparations to cook. He heard the murmur of voices from the corridor, then nodded at Harry, who entered the kitchen with a curious look. Then Harry started to open each cabinet until he found a well-used kettle. The Potions Master fired up the stove and placed a shallow pan on it, all the while as he watched Harry clean the kettle before collecting water to boil. The emerald-eyed wizard started to hum as he absently looked around for tea and sugar.
Draco joined them as Severus flipped the last pancake from the pan. Harry was already seated on one of the stools, stirring the pot of tea. Harry flashed a sweet smile at Draco and carefully poured tea for all of them. They then ate in happy silence, only punctuated by hand signals from Harry or Draco, when they wanted more syrup to their pancakes or another cup of tea.
"What are your plans, Severus?"
Harry looked up from his plate and watched Draco and then Severus with great interest. Severus leaned back in his chair, calmly sipping on tea. "The study and basement can wait," he said thoughtfully. "The bedrooms and the washroom above are the greatest priority. To do that, however, I need to clear the corridors. There are certain hexes woven into protection," he said by way of explanation.
"Right." Harry smiled crookedly.
"We'll trail along in the meantime."
Severus sighed as the younger wizard started to chuckle. "What am I going to do with the two of you?" He seemed to question himself.
"Now, now. Don't start, love." Draco shot him a mock-glare. "It is only practical that you deal with the jinxes, hexes, and so forth since you were the one to put them there in the first place." Then, rather inconsequentially, he said, "Severus, don't you think it's better if you remove that sliding wall between your bedroom and the guest room?"
"Perhaps." Severus contemplated the idea.
oOooOo
If it's a sliding wall, why can't they just leave it open? Why remove it at all? Harry wondered. He looked at Draco with interest and then he became puzzled upon seeing the determined look on Draco's face.
As though he had felt Harry's gaze, Draco looked in his direction and smiled. "I have plans, Harry. Big plans. Incidentally, Severus, are you still keeping those moldy, brown curtains?"
Severus' profound look of embarrassment was made clear to them, when he started to mutter oaths under his breath in between sips of tea.
They began their tasks almost immediately after breakfast. At Severus' insistence, Draco and Harry had donned on Severus' older robes, for some 'extra protection'. They had to stop at the staircase after Severus warned them that they were not alone on the second floor. Harry fiddled with his wand almost carelessly but stopped when Draco looked at him admonishingly. Making Severus' house habitable might have been one of the priorities, but as in the case of the Dark Creature haunting the area the night before, Severus had to reclaim his territory.
The landing and corridors of the second floor were dark, almost pitch-black. If there had been windows, they were probably boarded up. Indefinable shadows projected their presence. Harry climbed another step and quietly observed Severus. This had been how Severus had taught him for the past two years – 'observe, do and ask questions later'. Harry realized that he learned quicker with this method. And he 'watched'.
Severus Snape stood on the second floor landing, his stance almost aggressive. The wizard was not using spells, either visibly or verbally. However, Harry knew by the tingling he felt, Severus was using pure, un-channeled magic. It was magic that was unique to an individual, almost as though it was a signature.
The shadows shied away but stubbornly they remained, slithering across the walls or ceiling. Severus frowned as he realized that intimidation would not be enough to drive them out.
Harry had not had the opportunity to work with Draco before, but their response to Severus' predicament was perfectly timed, seamless in teamwork effort.
"Expecto patronum!"
Harry concentrated – it was not so much of a happy memory, but the emotion that accompanied it. He remembered quite clearly, the time when Draco, Severus and himself finally acknowledged their love for each other. His Patronus appeared, a male stag, stolid and calm. This was also the first time he had ever seen Draco conjuring a Patronus – his was a strange, almost ethereal – human-like figure. He cast a startled glance at Draco, but the other wizard looked as calm as the Patronii before them. The mysterious Patronus advanced forward and Harry willed his to join it. With great fascination, Harry watched as Draco's Patronus glided, floated and then it seemed to dance and twirl.
The shadows began to flutter as though the found the luminescent Patronii a great threat and tried to find the darkest corners in the room. Severus improvised, and Harry heard soft, clattering noises. Suddenly, light filtered through the room and Harry winced as a ghoul screeched madly. As though blinded by the light, it fled straight to Draco's Patronus who caught it with one hand. Effortlessly, that hand hurled the ghoul toward one of the windows. It vanished. The other shadows melted into the light and then disappeared, their screams echoing eerily in the corridor.
The incandescent stag approached Harry, nuzzled his hand for several seconds before it too, disappeared. The other Patronus approached its summoner, still moving in the peculiar gliding, twirling and dancing movements. It actually went around Draco, twirled in the air, landed before Draco, stayed still for a minute before it was gone. Harry had plenty of time to marvel at the form. Although it had the body of a human, its face seemed almost … dragon-like.
"Well done," Severus spoke into the silence, his voice full of approval.
Harry leaned toward Draco and only whispered, "Wow," and then pulled back. However, it was a good thing he had been standing close to Draco, because the other wizard started to sway. "Hey, you all right?" Emerald eyes looked into Draco's gray ones with concern. Harry steadying him and patted his shoulders lightly.
"Yeah. I haven't had much practice with that spell."
Harry waited with Draco, and they looked at Severus with curiosity. The man was doing something to a wall.
Unable to stand it any longer, Harry asked, "Severus, what are you doing?"
"I am trying to open it," Severus gritted with concentration. He stopped, frowning. He knelt and examined the base of the wall. Severus stood up and stepped back several feet away from the wall. He fired a spell.
The younger wizards yelped when a miniature explosion blew from the floor and they rushed in to get Severus, who was stunned by the reaction. They dragged him away to a corner with wicker chairs and a small coffee table. Harry put a shield just as great billows of dust rushed toward them.
Severus regained consciousness, all the while muttering curses and earning some fond looks from Harry and Draco. When the dust had settled, Severus ordered Harry to get the wall to slide open.
Harry stirred dust as he walked toward the wall. Thankfully, it did not make him cough or sneeze. He noticed a handle on the wall and gripped it. The wall slid off easily and to his surprise, it molded itself to another part of the wall. Harry squinted at the sunlight and an odd sense of delight filled him when he realized that it was a balcony that was on the other side of the wall.
"Severus, you have a balcony?" Draco whispered, his eyes wide with surprise.
"It was somewhat necessary that I keep it a secret," Severus replied with a slight smile, "given that Lucius had told me that his son had an affinity for heights."
Draco blushed. "Oh." He chuckled sheepishly.
An affinity for heights? Harry smiled faintly. Then he remembered something and his smile wavered. He quickly turned his face away, to stare out at the balcony so that his lovers would not see the sadness that passed over his expression. He shuddered a little, recalling the night Draco had intended to commit suicide vividly. He closed his eyes upon the tight sensation in his chest.
-oOoooOo-
To be continued on Chapter Twenty-nine
